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Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Initial ideas 2

This is another sketch up of an initial idea I've been considering, it's located in a cafe (the actual image is based on a Pret a Manger), and in the scene I wanted the place to be trashed, chairs and tables all over the place, food on the ground, but then in the middle there's a pristine table, with an item on top of it (I've depicted this item with a laptop, however this is just for display purposes, I understand that this is not uncanny in the slightest and will use something else, maybe some more shoes) the backdrop is a city (as cafe's are commonly situated in cities), from the city a ray of light will flow into the cafe onto the pristine table.

5 comments:

You already know my feelings on your newly energised approach to your creative development; there's an enthusiasm that's very satisfying, and you're making much better use of your blog - both in terms of your 'video' innovation and artist research.

Less impressive are your visualisations, which are sparse and largely embryonic - and your 'confusion' regarding the objective of the brief; it baffles me that you could be so bewildered! Don't you listen to a word I say? :-( Worse, don't you talk to your classmates or read their blogs?

Anyway, I hope that you're more clear on what the unit wants from you - and judging by this latest developmental drawing, it would appear that this is indeed the case. I like this idea - it reminds me somewhat of the Sandy Skoglund images; I like the mysterious object on the table too - while everything else is in disarray. It makes me think of the ending with the suitcase in the film noir movie Kiss Me Deadly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IksupwUvhq4

You don't appear to have given your written assignment much thought... please see following 2 posts for general info and some further advice.

Consider carefully the following learning outcomes for your essay and structure your assignment accordingly. You must demonstrate:

1) Knowledge and understanding of ‘the Uncanny’.

You should begin your essay by defining ‘the uncanny’ in theoretical terms (i.e. according to Sigmund Freud, Jentsch, and anyone else with a helpful or clear definition). You will be expected to include a quoted source by which to demonstrate your understanding; the essay, ‘The Uncanny’ by Freud is rich in useful observations – so use it; you’ll want to consider the concept of the ‘unheimlich’ and the sorts of motifs/artefacts that create the uncanny experience.

2) A developed ability to engage in research.

At this stage of your course, you are expected to research your subject area in order to enrich your discussion and corroborate your analysis. No essay at this stage should be written ‘off the top of your head’ or without a clear research agenda. Research might include a variety of film reviews, artist statements, images, books, critiques and articles. Research requires that you READ and take notes! For instance, if you are looking at Invasion of the Body-Snatchers in relation to the uncanny, first cross-reference lots of reviews/articles about the film. Make a note of any recurrent terms or ideas and when you come across a term you don’t understand or are unfamiliar with – investigate it! Try google searching associated terms together– for instance ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers & uncanny’ – as you may find research material that relates very specifically to your discussion.

There are no short-cuts to an intelligently written assignment – focused research = successful essays; without research and a body of evidence, your essay is simply ‘chat’ and of no academic significance. Be significant!

3) The ability to synthesise a range of research applied to arguments.

Put more simply, this means that once you’ve completed your research and gathered together your key ideas, you are then able to use them to ‘unpack’ your chosen subject; think of your research as a precision tool-kit especially selected by you to ‘dismantle’ your case-study or studies (i.e. the film, image, programme, artwork you’ve chosen to discuss)

4) The ability to clearly and academically communicate ideas.

This is all about your writing style and your ‘voice’ – too many of you are writing as if you’re talking, and it’s a habit you need to lose asap in this context. So you must avoid slang and clichés; you’re not on the street or down the pub, you’re in a formal space with formal conventions.

Avoid the first person; instead of writing ‘I think that Invasion Of The Body-Snatchers is about the fear of conformity’, consider instead ‘It is arguable that Invasion of the Body-Snatchers is about the fear of conformity’.

Please don’t ‘narrate’ your own research – for instance ‘I looked on the internet and found this interesting article’ – No! No! No! Your reader doesn’t give a damn about ‘how’ you came by your research – just use it effectively and formally.

Punctuation – please use it! Try proof-reading your paragraphs out loud – if you’re gasping for breath by the end of them, you’re in serious need of some full-stops, commas and semi-colons. If you’re uncertain how to use them properly please visit http://www.grammarbook.com/english_rules.asp - and that goes for apostrophes too!

Capitalisation – all film titles, book titles, artist names etc – should be capitalized every time you include them; Invasion of the Body-Snatchers, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover etc… Likewise, when first referring to a film please include director and release date.

Footnotes are NOT to be used to reference quotes within the body of the essay; use Harvard Method. Footnotes can be used to include additional information external to the main body, but useful for the reader’s broader understanding of the subject area.

Italicize your quotations!

Double-space your document!

If you refer to something visual as part of your argument – you must include a supporting illustration as supporting evidence.

Finally – PROOF-READ your assignments before submission; I am not an English teacher so don’t want to be forever correcting spelling mistakes, typos or ‘right’ words wrongly substituted by a spellchecker. Make time to polish your written work, as you would your creative project work.

Also - if you haven't done so already, can you add the CG Arts central blog to your reading list - if you become an author, you can use it post problems and get answers from your classmates on all three years - just post your email as a comment, and Liam in the third year will set you up so you can post.

Go onto MyUCA and check out the class files that would have been for today – Its Merry Christmas fun with Fur!!! Watch the videos and see what you can come up with. I’ll give you a full explanation in the New Year.